Billy Duane Royer was born on August 29, 1929 in rural Essex, Iowa to Frank and Alice (Solon) Royer. He passed away on Monday, April 2, 2018 at the Elm Heights Care Center in Shenandoah at the age of 88.

He attended Franklin Grove School through 8th grade and then went to Essex High School where he graduated in 1947. He went on to college at Northwest Missouri State University in Maryville, Missouri.

Bill married his high school sweetheart, Cleo Carlson, on April 9, 1950 and they moved to a farm northwest of Essex. They lived and farmed there for 27 years at which time they moved into Essex.

Bill served 10 years on the Essex School Board at the time when the new school was built. In 1976 he was elected to the Page County Board of Supervisors and served for six years before being elected to the Iowa State Legislature as a State Representative. There he served 12 years and was instrumental in getting the new prison in Clarinda. He served on the Essex Library Board when the new library was built and also was on the Essex City Council.

He was a member of St. John's Lutheran Church, Essex Community Club, 4-H leader, Shenandoah Elks Lodge and was a 50 year member of the Masonic Lodge.

Bill was a real estate agent and Certified General Appraiser from 1985 to his retirement in 2015. He was very community involved receiving many awards through the years being Young Farmer of the Year, Farm Family of the Week, Page County Farm Bureau Award and Iowa Appraiser of the Year.

He never knew a stranger, proud of his family and loved God and America.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Frank and Alice Royer; 2 infant brothers; sisters, Jackie Peterson and Betty Tobin; son-in-law Dave Franks; grandson James Royer; and great-grandson Zachary Mohatt. Survived by his wife of 67 plus years Cleo Royer, his children Peg Franks of Essex, IA, Jay Royer and wife Rhonda of Blue Eye, MO, Jan Cloepfil and husband James of Shenandoah, IA, and Ken Royer and wife Joni of Essex, IA; eight grandchildren Greg Franks, Heidi (Dan) Mohatt, Daniel (Tara) Shough, Edi (Jesse) Bond, Casey (Katie) Royer, Christopher (Jenna) Royer, Evan (Michelle) Cloepfil and Dylan Cloepfil; six great-grandchildren Natalie and Dalton Mohatt, Regan and Aiden Shough, Macy Royer and Easton Royer; brother Don (Phyllis) Royer and sisters Joyce (Jim) Long, Beverly Currie, Geri (Joe) Pinkham and Margaret Jo Ballinger.

Celebration of life memorial service will be held 2:00 p.m., Saturday, April 7, 2018 at the St. John's Lutheran Church in Essex, Iowa.

Memorial visitation with the family will be held from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m., Friday, April 6, 2018 at the Hackett-Livingston Funeral Home in Shenandoah.

In lieu of flowers memorials may be directed to the Shenandoah Food Pantry, Essex Fire & Rescue or St. John's Lutheran Church of Essex.

Burial of cremains will be held in the Essex Cemetery.